Stapling machine



Feb. 23, 1943. s. A. CROSBY STAPLING MACHINE Filed DSC. 29, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 23, 1943; s, A CROSBY 2,311,643

STAPLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 29, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mh. Mm, Q\ h 1 1 ignam Q ,iw P R V.. RJ \\l||\ o E si| 1 T N |l| N1 1 N R. w o u I l m\w\N/NN| Patented Feb. 23, 1943 STAPLING MACHINE Stephen A. Crosby,Jackson Heights, N. Y., as-

signor to Speed Products Company, New York, N. Y.

Application December 29, 1938, Serial No. 248,331

4 Claims.

My invention relates to a stapling machine and within the meaning of thelatter, analogous articles, such as stapling pliers, and staplingtackers are intended, and the invention has for objects: the provisionof a simplified but irnproved stapling machine including a hinged armhaving a staple magazine member pivotally carrying a cover which issubstantially coextensive with the length of the arm and which slidablycarries a latch integrally merged with an arcuate bearing for movablyguiding an elongated and helicoidal spring which has one end fastened tothe cover and another end connected to a slidably guided staple followerwhereby upon closing of the cover transversely spaced portions of thelatch automatically interlock with vertically arranged upstanding wingsof the maga zine; the provision of a cover for the magazinecharacterized by a cooperative sheath constituting the front componentof the cover and by rearwardly extending sides closely embracing theforward portion of a channel shaped member or rear component f thecover, the arrangement of the front and rear components being such thatthey include transversely alined upper and lower bearings for theslidable latch utilized to lock the cover and magazine; the provision ofa cover of the character referred to wherein the upstanding wings of themagazine are spaced from corresponding rear portions of the sides of thesheath in the fully closed relation of the cover and magazine andwherein th'e rear parts of the slidably guided latch are automaticallyretracted by helicoidal spring means trained over the bearing of thelatch and have limited retractive motion on striking spaced andreentrant stop means of the rear component of the cover; the provisionsof a slidably guided staple plunger normally held in a retracted orraised position by a vertically arranged helicoidal spring having oneend anchored to forwardly projection means extending from an uppercurved wall of the rear component of the cover and to biased projectingmeans 43 carried by the plunger. Broadly speaking the invention has as afurther object to provide a relatively light Weight but durable base forthe swingable arm and a relatively light weight cap for the staple ejecting plunger slidable in the arm, the base and cap each being of asuitable thermo plastic material having means adapted to absorb any ofthe impacts and thrusts applied thereto during stapling operationswithout however setting up cold ow of the thermo plastic material in thebase or cap thus preventing the shape of these parts from being changedor warped from their desired and original contour. Specifically howeverthe invention has a further and important object to provide a relativelylight weight but reinforced base of a thermo plastic moldable materialand comprising reinforcing means in the form of skeletonized frameworkwith a plurality of spaced and transversely disposed ribsor partitionsinterconnecting the sides of the base and a plurality of spacedstrengthening ribs or braces disposed longitudinally of the base andmerging with the ends of the base, and a plurality of strengthening ribsdisposed in an inclined relation in respect to the longitudinal axis ofthe base together with circular brace means, the arrangement being suchthat the reinforcing means absorbs the shock imparted to the base toprevent the latter from spreading or deforming in its cold state when inactual use. Further important objects, advantages, and features of theinvention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosureconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the stapling machine according to myinvention.

Fig. 1a is an enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the stapling machine showing theswingable arm in an opened relation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the staplingmachine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an underneath view of the reinforced base.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the slidable latch for locking the coverand magazine of the swingable arm.

Fig, 10 is a fragmentary plan View of the rear component of theswingable arm.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on the line II-II of Fig. 3.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary part of th'e bottom wall of the magazine.

Fig. 13 is an underneath view of another reinforced base.

Fig. 14 is an underneath view of the reinforced cap and zine M and acover C having rear depending lugs I swingably or rotatably mounted onthe c fulcrurn pin I2 carried by lugs I3 of the base. For purposes ofspecification the cover I3 may be said to include the rear channel shapecomponent I3 and the channel shaped sheath or front component i4 havingsides I5 closely straddling and secured to the forward parts of thesides I5 of the rear component I3.

Vertically and slidably guided between the front vertical edges I1 ofthe spaced sides I6 of the rear component I3 and front wall f8 and sidewalls I5 of the sheath I4 is a channel shaped plunger I9 having a fixedblade 23 for driving a foremost staple 2l of a staple strip 22downwardly through a staple raceway 23 dened by the front wall 24 of themagazine and the forward faces 25 of the sides 2B of the inverted Ushaped rail 21 fixedly disposed longitudinally of and within the staplemagazine M,

The plunger I9 has its upper portions 23 fixedly fastened to a shockabsorbing metal plate 23 which extends longitudinally of the thermoplastic and relatively light weight cap 30. More particularly howeverplate 29 is held in spaced relation with the top curved wall 3l of thecap and in a spaced relation with the periphery of rim 32 depending fromtop wall 3I but against the depending bosses 33 integral with the topwall 3| and the rim 32, against the arcuate front and rear ribs 34integrally merged with the sides of rim 32 and the upper wall 3I, andagainst the longitudinally arranged and oblique ribs 35 integrallymerged with the transverse ribs 34 and the top wall of the cap. Bosses33 together with ribs 34 and 35 reinforce the cap and prevent spreadingor involuntary warping of rim 32 and wall 3l. The frame work constitutedby the ribs 34 and 35 with bosses 33 receive the impact imparted to theshock absorbing metal plate 29 upon the latter striking the upperperipheral edge 35 of the sheath I4. The shock absorbing plate 29 isxedly held against the framework by rivets or ferrules 36 carried by thebosses 33. Consequently on each down stroke of the plunger the impact toplate 23 is dissipated through the framework.

To normally hold the plunger and its staple ejecting blade in anelevated position, a helicoidal spring 31 is provided. This spring hasits upper end fastened to a notched lug 38 projecting forwardly of butintegral with the downwardly and rearwardly curved top wall 39 integralwith the side walls I6 of the rear component I3 of the cover. The lowerend of spring 31 is appropriately retained by `a biased lug 49 extendingfrom the front transverse wall of the plunger I3. By the presentarrangement the upper end of the spring may be readily hooked onto thecverhanging lug 33 and locked within the reentrant notches 38 and lowerend of the spring can be quickly arranged on the biased lug 49 andconsequently it is a relatively easy matter to assemble these parts.

Slidably associated with and guided by the front and rear components I3and I4 of the cover is a latch generally denoted 4I which comprises acurved bearing portion 42 integral with a recti; linear plate 43 havinglaterally projecting lugs 414 movably straddling sides I5 of the sheathI4. The sides i6 of rear component I3 include the transversely alinedexpanded openings 45 each having in communication therewith a slotp0rtion 46 disposed in alinement and communicating with slots 41 in thesides I5 of the sheath I4 while the upper and lower horizontal walls ofthe alined slots 43 and 41 serve as rectilinear bearing means forslidably guiding plate 43 of the latch 4I longitudinally of the cover.It should be noted that the curved bearing 42 of the latch 4I has agrooved portion 48 movably guiding but retaining the helicoidal spring49 including one end 50 anchored to lug 5I at the -rear of component I3and another end 52 coiled about the curved projection 53 extending fromthe staple follower block 54 slidably interlocked and guided on rail 21.Follower block 54 has sides 55 closely but movably straddling the sidesof the rail and the sides 55 include inwardly turned lugs 53 cooperatingwith the lower faces of the sides of the rail to interlock therewith toprevent upward displacement of the follower block 54. i

Sides 51 of the magazine each include a rearwardly disposed ear 58swingably mounted on the fulcrum pin I2 and these ears closely straddlesides I3 of the rear component lf3 of the cover. As illustrated in Fig;2, the lower marginal portions 59 of the sides I3 of the rear componentI3 extend below the sides I5 of the front component I4 and aretelescoped within the magazine (Fig. 6) to prevent upward displacementof the staple strip in the closed relation of the cover. At this timeshoulders 6U forming a part of the lower peripheral face of the sides I5of sheath I3 are against upper peripheral face 6I of the sides 51 of themagazine and these faces GI serve as stop means to limit downwardpivotal displacement of the cover upon complete closing thereof at whichtime depending alining lug 62 of the front component I4 is interlockedbetween the vertical walls of notch or recess 63 in the front wall ofthe magazine, the arrangement being-such that extensions 59 telescopewithin and between the sides of the magazine and the lug 32 telescopeswithin the front wall of the magazine to facilitate proper positioningof the cover in respect to the magazine upon' closing of the cover.

With the cover moving downwardly, spring 49 which is ,guided in partwithin groove 48 `and trained over bearing 42 urges the follower towardsand against the rear part of the staple strip 22 to position theforemost stable ZI thereof in alinement with the staple raceway 273which in turn is in alinement with the blade 20 of the driver or plungerI9. However as the cover moves towards its closed position the reartransverse face 64 of latch 4I strikes and rides along the curved ca-mfaces F5 of the spaced wings or ears E6 extending upwardly from sides 51of the magazine and each of the wings includes a notch or recess 61having vertical face B8 disposed to the rear of but adjacent thevertical stop walls 63 of the transversely alined slots 41 in the sidesI6 of the rear component I3 and walls 69 of the rear component I3 serveas stop means to limit rearward Ydisplacement of the latch 4I, that is,to limit displacement of the rear transverse face 64 thereof after latch4I registers or falls into alined notches 61 of the wings 65 of themagazine upon closing of the cover at which time these notches are inalinement with the alined slots 48 and 41 of the components |3 and |4 ofthe cover. To prevent wobbling of slidable latch 4|, the sides 48' ofthe bearing 4| are straddled and guided by spaced sides I6 of the rearcomponent i3. The action of spring 49 is such that after the rear partof the slidable latch 4| registers with notches 61, the latch isautomatically moved rearwardly and consequently interlocks with thenotched wings 66 of the magazine and in the fully closed position of thecover the rear arcuate faces 10 of sheath i4 are adequately spaced fromthe cam faces 65 of the wings 58 to prevent jamming of these faces whilestop faces B9 prevent jamming of the latch 4| in respect to the walls ofthe notches 61 of wings 56 thus permitting latch 4| to be readilyunlocked when desired.

For opening the cover, wings 44 are grasped and moved forwardly, thatis, in a direction towards the front wall of the sheath i4 and of courseagainst the resistance offered by spring 49. Thus the cover and magazineare unlocked. Thereafter the cover is pivotally swung away from themagazine and this action automatically moves the follower along the railbut towards the rear of the magazine and in the fully opened position ofthe cover, the latter is approximately one hundred and eighty degreesaway from the magazine.

According to the invention, novel locking means is employed toyieldingly hold the arm in its normal raised relation preparatory tostapling. In this connection, a clearing latch generally denoted 1| isutilized. This latch comprises a reduced part 12 freely but tiltablymounted on a biased and free portion 13 of a leaf spring 14 having afixed end 14 within recess 14 in part defined by the depending andrelatively wide ribs 15. Specifically however a rivet 15 is sustained bythe base and is utilized to hold a flat washer 11 against the retainedend 14 of the leaf spring 14 iixedly against the upper horizontal faceof recess 14".

The biased portion 13 of spring 14 normally `yieldingly holds shoulders18 and 19 of the clearing latch 1| against the under face 80 of the baseand against depending boss 8| whereby the intermediate part 82 of latch1| extends into a relatively narrow slot 83 bounded by the reinforcingand depending lugs 84 disposed longitudinally of the base.

Extending above slot 83 and integral with the intermediate part 82 ofthe clearing latch 1| is a reduced head 85 provided with a reentrantrecess 88 dening an upper lip portion 81, a lower shoulder 88 and thevertical wall 89. 'Ihe head 85 includes a cam face 90 and theintermediate part 82 of the latch is provided with a curved part 9|which may be moved downwardly and outwardly in respect to slot 83 whenthe manipulating or tail portion 92 is moved in a direction towards theupper wall 93 of the base, which action causes lip 81 and shoulder 88bounding recess 86 to be removed from its interlocking relation with theabutment portion 94 of the bottom wall 94 of the magazine M Which wallincludes the enlarged opening 95 and the communicating reduced opening95. In other words, the clearing latch 1| may be readily manipulated tounlock the magazine of the swingable arm in which case the boss 8|serves as a fulcrum for the tiltable shoulder 19. After the magazine isun-Vy locked and the arm is swung away from the base and upon removal ofmanual pressure from the manipulating tail portion 92, spring 14automatically restores the clearing latch to its normal position shownin Fig. 3. Thus it is appreciated that the clearing latch 1| is in awaiting relation and ready to automatically interlock with the magazinewhen the arm is again swung towards the base. To this end the abutment94 of the magazine strikes cam face 99 of the hook or head 85, thuscausing the latter as well as the body of the latch 1| again to tilt ina counter clockwise direction but against the resistance of leaf spring14 until however reentrant recess 86 of the latch is in alinement withthe abutment portion 94 of the bottom wall of the magazine at which timeleaf spring 14 automatically swings this latch in a clockwise directionuntil vertical shoulder 89 of recess 8% meets the stop face 91 of theabutment portion 94 in which event the clearing latch is again in anorma-l position. Under such circumstances, the stapling ejectingplunger i9 may be actuated by moving cap 39 downwardly to permit theforemost staple of thel staple strip to be ejected from the arm and beautomatically clenched by the cooperating anvil 99 carried by the base.

However in this connection, abutment 94 carries out another function,namely, to depress the clearing latch bodily and vertically downwardlyon each pivotal and downward stapling stroke of the arm. In other words,latch 1| is downwardly and rec tilinearly displaced against theresistance of the leaf spring 14 and of course during the displacementof the latch, it is closely but movably guided by the depending ribs 84in part bounding the Walls of slot 83. Stated in another way wheneverthe stapling arm is pivotally depressed shoulders 18 and 19 of latch 1|move away from upper surface and the boss 8| of the base. It followsthat by the present arrangement the stapling arm is automaticallyretracted upon removal of manual downward pressure from the hollowthermo plastic cap of the plunger, since leaf spring 14 bodily raisesthe clearing latch to assume its normal position shown in Fig. l. Ofcourse cap 38 and the plunger associated therewith is also raised orretracted to its normal position due to spring 31 in which case lugs 99struck out of sides of the plunger i9 cooperate with the marginalportions of the overhanging notched lug 38 to limit retraction of theplunger.

Although the base and cap of the herein disclosed stapling machine areof a thermo plastic material suitable means is provided to absorb theimpacts or thrusts imparted thereto without however changing itspleasing and desired appearance illustrated. Concerning the cap 39, theshock absorbing plate 29 in association with the skeletonized frame workcharacterized by the rib or brace instrumentalities 33, 34, and 35 (Fig.14) constitute such strengthening means as previously specifically setforth. However in the matter of the base, the latter receives alsoappreciable shock and stresses during the course of stapling operationsand in this connection suitable strengthening means likewise is employedto resist spreading or deforming the desired structural characteristicsthereof.

During stapling substantially pact caused by the stapling arm is theanvil and to absorb the blows to the anvil and to resist deforming ofthe plastic base which vof course is slightly flexible and issusceptible to each downward stroke of said arm against the resistanceof said spring in the interlocked relation of said head and said bottomwall, said cam portion in the non-interlocked relation of said latch andarmadapted to be actuated by said bottom wall to tilt said latch againstone of said spaced shoulders to permit the notched portion of said latchto removably straddle and disengageably interlock with the portion ofsaid wall adjacent said reduced portion.

2. In a stapling machine, a staple carrying arm comprising a coverhaving a rear wall, a lug projecting from a forward end of said wall andhaving spaced notches, a staple ejecting plunger vertically slidable insaid arm and comprising a downwardly and rearwardly extendingprojection, stop means carried by said plunger, and a helicoidal springhaving one end disposed in said spaced notches and another end connectedto Said projection for lnormally holding said plunger in its completeretracted portion and concomitantly sustain said stop means against saidlug.

3. In a stapling machine, a staple carrying arm comprising a coverhaving a rear wall, a lug ending forwardly of said Wall, a stapleejecting plunger vertically slidable in said arm and comprising sideshaving struck out means, a downwardly inclined projection extending fromsaid plunger, and a helicoidal spring interconnecting said'l lug andprojection to normally hold said prunger in its complete retractedposition and concomitantly sustain said struck out means against saidlug.

4. In a stapling machine, a staple carrying arm comprising a coverhaving a downwardly and rearwardly curved rear closure wall including aSTEPHEN A. CROSBY.

